MENU
SEARCHJust days before the first Tesla Semi battery-electric Class 8 truck is scheduled to be delivered to PepsiCo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter that the company had just completed a 500-mile drive with a fully loaded Tesla Semi.
The Tesla battery-elecric Semi in a press image provided by the company in 2021.
Photo: Tesla
Just days before the first Tesla Semi battery-electric Class 8 truck is scheduled to be delivered to PepsiCo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk triggered a wave of praise, skepticism, and speculation with a single-sentence Tweet: “Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!”
Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022
The tweet drew more than 20,000 replies, many of them requests for more details than the skimpy announcement. What was the route? Were there grades? What were the road conditions? Average speed? What about charging? Cost per mile? How much of that 81,000 pounds was the truck and its batteries?
Tesla has announced an official delivery event for the Tesla Semi on Dec. 1. This comes five years after Musk’s flashy introduction of the truck. He has said again and again that Semi production was just around the corner, only to be delayed again and again.
— Tesla (@Tesla) November 16, 2022
As Fred Lambert with Elektrek pointed out, “It seems a bit last minute to complete the first 500-mile drive, considering Tesla is expected to deliver production versions of the truck to customers this week.”
PepsiCo confirmed in an October tweet that it is expecting its first electric Tesla Semis on Dec. 1 to support its Frito-Lay plant in Modesto, California, and its PepsiCo beverages plant in Sacramento.
Musk's tweet drew more than 20,000 replies from both fans and skeptics, as well as from competitors:
Finally!
Welcome to the electric truck game, @elonmusk.
If you need advice, we already have thousands of electric trucks on the road...— Renault Trucks (@RenaultTrucksCo) November 28, 2022
And a couple of recent Tesla Semi sightings:
Took this pic on I-80 east of Reno There where two of them running together. I'm guessing they where heading back to the Tesla Gigafactory. Maintained 70 mph up and down hills. Very awesome!! pic.twitter.com/XJwoFPU65C
— Stevey (@Woodenickel3) November 28, 2022
I saw it on the road! It was going 60 mph tho. Quite slow for an 80 mph speed limit area. 🤔 But it's perfect for California where truck speed limit is 55 mph. pic.twitter.com/FCyXN7IDfu
— Joshua (@Mr_Yoshi18) November 28, 2022
Developed with Driventic, Hendrickson's new integrated e-axle is designed to improve efficiency, reduce weight, and extend range in Class 6-7 EV applications.
Read More →
Fuel savings don’t come from one big change. They come from dozens of small ones. Here’s how leading fleets are stacking gains across drivers, routing, maintenance, and more.
Read More →
What works in sustainable trucking today? Heavy Duty Trucking's Top Green Fleets are finding practical ways to cut fuel use, reduce emissions, and keep freight moving.
Read More →
CARB says the California Clean Fuel Reward program will begin offering point-of-sale rebates of up to $120,000 for electric commercial trucks starting June 26.
Read More →
Along with unveiling its EPA 2027-compliant MP13 engine, Mack outlined powertrain changes across its Class 6-8 lineup, including new Cummins-based X10 engines.
Read More →
Volvo says advances in combustion and aftertreatment helped its new EPA 2027 D13 engine avoid the fuel-economy penalties many once expected from tighter NOx emissions limits.
Read More →
Tesla’s Semi chief at ACT Expo outlined production growth, lower-cost models, charging expansion, and why the company believes fleets are leaving money on the table by waiting on electric trucks.
Read More →
A new report from the Electrification Coalition outlines key barriers slowing electric truck charging deployment and offers policy solutions to accelerate infrastructure growth.
Read More →
NACFE’s Run on Less data has found that recent setbacks aside, electric truck powertrains are trending toward market leadership by 2035.
Read More →
Westport and Volvo are demonstrating a 500-hp truck with diesel-like efficiency — one that also offers what Westport says is a better pathway to using hydrogen fuel in trucks.
Read More →
